Colleen Makhubele is a prominent South African politician, business leader, and former Johannesburg city council speaker who has navigated corporate governance, local politics, and national parliamentary roles with a focus on leadership and service delivery.
Profile Summary
| Full name | Tshikani Colleen Makhubele |
| Date of birth | Not publicly verified |
| Place of birth | Giyani, Limpopo Province, South Africa |
| Nationality | South African |
| State/Province of origin | Limpopo Province, South Africa |
| Partner | N/A |
| Children | N/A |
| Occupations | Politician, SARA President, Mzumbe Group founder/CEO; board chair |
| Net worth | R50–75 million (approx. $2.5–4 million USD, 2025–2026 estimates) |
Early Life and Education
Colleen Makhubele grew up in Giyani, Limpopo Province, as the third of four siblings in a middle-class family. Her mother worked as a nurse, while her late father taught and supported extended family through education; she often helped in their small spaza shop, selling snacks after school, which ignited her entrepreneurial spirit.
She pursued advanced studies, earning an honours degree in information technology from Multimedia University in Malaysia, an MBA from Milpark Business College, a business administration diploma and project management certificate from UNISA, and ongoing PhD research at the Da Vinci Institute on broadband infrastructure methodologies.
Career
Makhubele established herself in ICT and project management early on, co-founding and leading the Mzumbe Group across sectors like energy, rail, and manufacturing. She previously served as Chief Operations Officer at SMMT Online, implementing ITIL standards, and managed project offices for government digitization and infrastructure initiatives.
Her governance roles extended to chairing the South African Post Office board and the Metropolitan Trading Company, alongside non-executive directorships and affiliations with bodies like the Institute of Directors.
She entered politics through Johannesburg local government, first as Chair of Chairs and then Speaker of the council, where she focused on stabilizing operations and service delivery. Her board experiences deepened her political ties, leading her to become president of the South African Rainbow Alliance, advocating for ethical leadership, women’s inclusion, and better public services.
In early 2025, Makhubele joined the uMkhonto weSizwe Party as an MP and parliamentary chief whip, praised for her public service record. She quickly became influential but faced internal tensions, culminating in her removal as chief whip in November 2025 by party leader John Hlophe, who appointed Des van Rooyen in her place.
She was reinstated later that month amid party appeals for unity. However, she was removed again as chief whip in January 2026 before resigning her MP position entirely in February 2026.
Personal Life
Makhubele embraces a strong Christian faith, identifying as born-again and drawing church support after her father’s passing; she remains active in religious communities. Reports mention a spouse tied to political controversies involving a company linked to Ofentse Molausi, but detailed family information stays private, with limited public confirmation on marital status or children.
Controversies
Her main controversy erupted during her MK Party chief whip role in 2025, involving allegations of pushing a R1.8 million annual contract for BillionkeyBK (Pty) Ltd, connected to her reported spouse Ofentse Molausi, for vague parliamentary services.
Party insiders criticized it as a conflict of interest, including backdated pay and improper staffing pushes, leading to her swift dismissal without formal investigation; no criminal charges have followed publicly.
Net Worth
Estimates place Colleen Makhubele’s net worth at around R50–75 million (approximately $2.5–4 million USD), derived primarily from her Mzumbe Group leadership, board directorships, and political roles as of 2025–2026.
